• Valerie Johnson

The Salvation Army Concludes Service to Firefighters in Charlton County

Norcross, GA - June 20, 2011 – In a welcomed relief from consuming wildfires in southern Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp region, The Salvation Army concluded its feeding service to Brantley, Camden, and Charlton County firefighters working around the clock to snuff out multiple and migrating blazes. 

The canteen (mobile feeding unit) which was deployed from The Salvation Army’s Vidalia Service Center served emergency and disaster personnel from June 16 - 18 and provided a total of:

            735 meals

            100 sandwiches

            451 snacks

            25 first aid kits

            9 employees serving 56 hours

            17 volunteers serving 56 hours

The Salvation Army canteen’s incident commander, Charlene Sears stated, “Although the fires are smoldering and firefighter staff has been reduced, The Salvation Army is prepared in the event fires are stoked again and we are needed for additional feeding and hydration services.”

Sears also said, “We are very grateful to everyone in the community who supported us by volunteering or making monetary contributions.  If we are re-deployed, we will need continued assistance from the community which has not let us down.”

For information on ways to assist The Salvation Army in meeting the needs of the victims of the wildfires, persons may call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, visit our website at http://www.salvationarmygeorgia.org. In order to meet the specific needs of fire victims in affected areas monetary donations are being accepted. The Salvation Army is currently not accepting donations of clothing and furniture for fire victims; please forward these donations to The Salvation Army Family Store nearest you.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmygeorgia.org.